The paper stacks are dwindling.

This is what the recession has done to us. As I look around, I noticed that the state of California is $21 billion in the hole and it’s steadily increasing. We should not put the entire blame on the Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he has easily become the scapegoat. Simply put, no one is safe. Any one can get the pink slip no matter how secure you think you are. The funds are dwindling to push steady cash flow to common workers praying for financial stability. This is a tough treacherous path to tread. I’ve thought it about further and this stage in our lives could be called the "Frightened Era."

The Swine Flu stuff is merely a distraction to get away from talking about the economy. I feel that it was a bit overblown although it is very unfortunate that some people died from it. Anyway, where am I going with this?

This is what sickens me. This is what angers me. How could some former NBA players take money for granted? They live the baller lifestyle thinking that more riches will always come. That is true when they were in their heyday. I bet they did not think about their retirement. We can’t play forever. Now I do not really care about another person’s money yet during these bleak economic times, as a society, we get infuriated at how certain people have it easy such as Nadya "Octomom" Suleman, Paris Hilton, and many NBA players who rot on the bench. Everything gets magnified and scrutinized because of the difficult times we live in. How can Latrell Sprewell be like that? How can Shawn Kemp be like that? How can Randy Brown auction off his three championship rings that he earned with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen? You know it’s really rough when Luke Schenscher had to auction off his game worn Bulls shorts.

All of them make more than the common person will earn in a decade. Whoever their financial advisor was, they must have graduated from the college of MC Hammer. Why didn’t they save their money? I mean you had to save something. Anything! For Randy Brown to sell off his championship rings, he proves that you can probably put a price tag on things that were considered priceless. Michael Jordan is not going to step through those doors and buy those rings back for you, Mr. Brown. He has it bad, but maybe not as bad as Latrell Sprewell. He’s probably the most tragic one. How can anyone turn down a 3 year, $21 million dollar contract? It is bloody awful to see how desperation and lack of foresight get you. After the NBA, he got deeper and deeper into financial ruin. Sprewell Motorsports is nothing but an entity. He was living the dream and he was offered more money, but he turned it down!

A higher power blessed him with the talent to play ball in order to live out a dream. Luke Schenscher would definitely give up his shorts for free in exchange for that talent. No offense, Luke. This is what upsets me. They earned so much, but blew most of it away trying to live that P. Diddy lifestyle. Why? The money can last so long living at that pace. The superficial material things eventually disappears. Looking for something meaningful now?

Again, I ask why? If you don’t want that money, give us that money then. We’ll make it last.